Rubber-coated cord.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SENECA G. LEWIS, 0F GREENSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

RUBBER-COATED CORD.

No Drawing,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SENECA G. LEWIS, residing at Grreensburg, in thecounty of \Vestmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, a citizen of theUnited States, have invented or discovered certain new and usefulImprovements in Rubber-Coated Cords, of which improvements the followingis a specification.

My invention consists in a new article of manufacture, rubber-sizedcatgut.

Certain articles of which catgut is a component part, rackets forexample, used in tennis and other games, are fragile and not verydurable because the catgut drawn taut upon the frame (which itselfmanifests irregularities in strain) is subject to rapid deteriorationunder the atmospheric conditions to which it is subjected both inservice and when stored.

I have found that catgut sized or coated with india-rubber is notimpaired for service as stringing for rackets and is, as compared withordinary catgut, far more durable in such service.

Catgut of commerce such as is used in the stringing of rackets is formedof a number of strands (say a dozen or thereabout) of animal fibertwisted together, and the whole shaped by suitable instrumentalities.

The rubber sizing or coating which characterizes my invention may beapplied either to the otherwise finished twisted cord, or it may beapplied to the component strands of animal fiber before twisting occurs.The rubber may be applied in the form of thin sheets wrapped upon thecord or strand of animal tissue, or it may and preferably will Copies ofthis patent may be obtained for Specification of Letters Patent.

7 Application filed November 3, 1916.- Serial No. 129,405.

be applied by causing the cord or strand of animal tissue to passthrough a liquid solution of rubber, in which case the sizing or coatingwill adhere to and more or less fill the pores and openings of thefibrous tissue. The solvent for the rubber in case a rubber solution isemployed may be such as is desired-bisulfite of carbon, chloroform,ether, naphtha or another solvent of rubber; and the strength of thesolution and its fluidity or viscosity will be adapted to afiord thedesired amount of sizing or coating. The material passing from such abath may be wiped or the adhering sizing or coating may be otherwisespread and the adhering quantity determined with any suitableappliances. If the component strands of animal tissue be passed throughthe rubber solution before being twisted together to form the cord, theinstrumentalities which shape the. cord will also distribute andequalize the quantity of sizing or coating. If the rubber be applied tothe component strands, then in the finished article the sizing orcoating will be intercalated between component strands.

The otherwise finished article is supported and disposed in suchposition and arrangement and under such conditions as to allow therubber to become air-cured.

I claim as my invention: As a new article of manufacture racketstringingconsisting of rubber-coated catgut. In testimony whereof I have hereuntoset my hand.

SENECA G. LEWIS. Witnesses:

FRANCIS J. TOMASSON, FRIEDA E. WOLFE.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, wnhington,D. 0."

